Lesson 1Common contaminants and their chemical impacts (metal ions, residual acid)Spot common contaminants like metal ions, leftover acids, and impurities in water or raw materials. See how they cause spoilage, dark spots, texture problems, and colour shifts, and pick up ways to stop or fix them.
Sources of metal ions in typical soap studiosChelators to bind metals and prevent DOSResidual acid or lye imbalance problemsEffects of impure water and storage conditionsTesting and documenting contamination issuesLesson 2How oil blends affect hardness, lather, conditioning, cleansing and longevityFind out how mixing different oils controls hardness, lather style, skin feel, cleaning power, and how long the bar lasts. You'll link fatty acid info to real bar results and craft balanced recipes for specific needs.
Balancing hard and soft oils in a base recipeDesigning for creamy vs bubbly lather profilesManaging cleansing vs mildness in daily soapsFormulating for longevity and low mushinessUsing calculators to predict bar propertiesLesson 3Principles of saponification: triglycerides, fatty acids, NaOH reaction, heat and timeGrasp the saponification process from fats to soap and glycerin. Check how lye strength, heat, stirring, and curing time shape trace, gel stage, reaction completeness, and the quality of your final bars.
From triglycerides to soap and glycerinEffect of lye concentration on trace speedTemperature control, gel phase, and insulationTime, cure, and completion of saponificationRecognizing and avoiding false trace issuesLesson 4Common oils and butters: detailed properties of olive, coconut, palm, shea, castor, sunflower, cocoa butterLook closely at key soaping oils and butters like olive, coconut, palm, shea, castor, sunflower, and cocoa butter, so you can swap them smartly and adjust recipes for cost and performance.
Olive oil grades and their soaping behaviorCoconut oil levels and skin tolerance limitsPalm and alternatives for sustainable hardnessShea, cocoa, and luxury butters in formulasCastor and sunflower as supporting liquid oilsLesson 5pH testing, titration basics, and typical soap pH ranges during cure and at useSee how soap pH shifts from mixing to full cure, test it right, and know safe levels for skin. Get titration basics to check lye neutralisation and sort out harsh or dodgy batches.
Using pH strips and meters correctly in soapInterpreting pH during gel and cure stagesSafe pH ranges for body, face, and household barsSimple titration to check excess lye or fatCorrecting batches with off‑spec pH readingsLesson 6Superfatting: purpose, free oils, choice of superfatting agents, effect on shelf life and rancidityUnderstand why we superfat soap, pick good oils for it, and see how amount and timing affect gentleness, lather, oxidation, and spoilage risk. Build plans that balance skin comfort with long shelf life.
Reasons to superfat and typical usage rangesChoosing which oils to reserve as superfatsIn‑the‑pot vs lye discount superfat methodsSuperfat level, oxidation, and DOS formationDesigning stable superfatted commercial barsLesson 7Fatty acid profiles and functional contributions: lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, ricinoleicCheck key fatty acids and how they shape lather, hardness, dissolving, and skin care. Learn to read profiles and turn them into expected results when making or tweaking cold process recipes.
Lauric and myristic acids for cleansing latherPalmitic and stearic acids for hardness and longevityOleic and linoleic for conditioning and glideRicinoleic acid and its lather boosting roleReading and comparing fatty acid chartsLesson 8Role of water and liquid substitutes (milk, tea, hydrosols) in trace and reaction rateSee water's job and swaps like milk, tea, hydrosols in dissolving lye, trace speed, gel, and heat. Learn how less water or changes affect safety, feel, and cure time.
Lye solution strength and safe mixing ratiosWater discount and its effect on trace speedUsing milks and teas as full or partial waterManaging heat, gel, and potential overheatingAdjusting cure time for different water levelsLesson 9Soap molecules: surfactant structure, micelles, pH and skin compatibilityDive into soap as a cleanser: its build, micelle setup, and how pH, hard water, and mix affect gentleness and skin fit while cleaning well.
Hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tailsHow micelles lift and suspend soilsImpact of pH on skin barrier and feelWater hardness, scum, and chelating agentsFormulating for sensitive or dry skin typesLesson 10Role of additives (clays, botanicals, milks, sugars) on chemistry and preservation concernsCheck how clays, plants, milks, sugars mix with lye and fats, change trace, colour, lather, and bring spoilage risks that need careful handling.
Clays for slip, color, and oil absorptionBotanical powders and risk of discolorationUsing milks safely without scorching or spoilageSugars, honey, and heat management in moldsWhen and how to use preservatives or chelators
